University of Bahrain

College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering

Chemical Reactor Design

(CHENG 323)
Semester II 2011/2012

Exam II
Sunday 27/05/2012
Duration: 100 min

Student Name:

Student ID #:

Answer all the questions and show your solution in full details.

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Question 1: (40%)
The elementary gas-phase reaction

is carried out isothermally in a flow reactor. The specific reaction rate at 50C is 104 min1
and the activation energy is 85 kJ/mol. Pure reactant enters the reactor at 10 atm and
127C and a molar flow rate of 2.5 mol/min. Calculate the reactor volume to achieve 60%
conversion in:
a) PFR (no pressure drop).
b) PBR (with pressure drop) where = 0.001 L1. Also calculate the pressure drop
percentage at the exit of the reactor (provide the ODE solver report).
c) If the calculated volumes above are different, explain why.

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Question 2: (30%)
Consider the first order liquid phase reaction that is carried out in a well-mixed reactor
initially filled with the solvent only. Assume the density of the reaction mixture remains
constant during the course of the reaction, i.e. = 0 & V = V0.
Additional information: k = 0.311 min1, V = 213.3 L, CA0 = 0.500 mol/L, 0 = 15.34 L/min.

a) For the startup period, perform mole balances on A and B in terms of CA, CB, and
other constants.
b) Use the derived ordinary differential equations to plot the concentrations of A and B
as a function of time (also provide the ODE solver report).
c) Calculate, analytically, the steady state values of CA, XA, and CB. Do both CA and CB
achieve their steady state values at the same time?
d) Determine the time necessary for CB to achieve 99% of its steady state value.
Compare that time with the time constant (space time in this case).

Feed Product
0, CA0 , CA & CB

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Question 3: (30%)
Consider the following liquid phase benzene nitration reaction:

A + 2B 2C + D

When the reaction is carried out in an adiabatic CSTR, what reactor volume and space time
are necessary to achieve 35% conversion? Assume the reaction is elementary.

Physical property, kinetic, and operating data:

CpA = 84.5 J/(mol.K); FA0 = 10 mol/min kA = 0.090 (L/mol)2(min)-1 at 303 K

CpB = 137 J/(mol.K) FB0 = 30 mol/min E = 40 kJ/mol
CpC = 170 J/(mol.K) 0 = 1000 L/min
CpD = 75 J/(mol.K) CA0 = 0.01 mol/L
Hrxn = 370.1 kJ/mol at 298 K T0 = 303 K

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